Rain couldn’t stop Humber’s 21st annual 5K run on April 16.
It brought students, staff, alumni and community members together at North Campus in support of Stella’s Place, a Toronto organization that provides free mental health services to young adults.
Organizer Carmen Puyo said the event raised $4,844, surpassing its $3,000 fundraising goal.
Puyo, a professor in Humber’s Fitness and Health Promotion program, said the event has become meaningful because it brings the Humber community together. It also gives the third-year students in her program who organized the event skills that carry beyond the classroom.
"Community is so important because it builds strength, and in the current climate of the world, we need strength more than ever," she said. "The skills that we need in life are critical thinking skills, organization, communication and teamwork. They can bring these skills anywhere in life."
The reason behind the run is also personal to the professor.
“Health and wellness is what saved my life,” she said. “If it wasn’t for fitness, I wouldn’t be where I am today because of my own mental health when I was younger.”
The race followed the Humber Trail and continued a long-running student-led fundraiser supporting mental health. Since 2022, the 5K has raised more than $12,400 for Stella’s Place, according to the event page.
Puyo chose Stella’s Place as the event’s charity partner when the run returned after the pandemic, after seeing firsthand how deeply mental health was affecting students.
“I get a little bit emotional because I see it with my students,” she said. “Stella’s Place is the perfect choice because they can relate to these students and help them.”
For Humber alumnus Jade DeLisle, now a firefighter, the event has remained meaningful long after his time as a student.
DeLisle said he first got involved while taking Puyo’s class and has returned for the past three years. He said being diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder at age 11 shaped his understanding of how important access to mental health support can be.
“Dealing with my mental health illness was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, and I had a great support system around me and great resources,” DeLisle said. “I can’t begin to imagine how hard it is for someone who doesn’t have access to therapy or professional help and is suffering in silence by themselves. That’s why I love supporting Stella’s Place.”
Idalette Martins, development officer at Stella’s Place, said the organization supports young adults in Toronto aged 16 to 29 by offering peer support, therapy, community-based support and programs that build life skills and resilience at no cost. Stella’s Place also has a cafe space where young adults can drop in for free food and drinks and connect with others.
“I think it’s very important to target the 16- to 29-year-old age group because you’re young, but you’re not quite fully an adult,” Martins said. “It’s a very challenging transitional time in a person’s life, and that’s why I think Stella’s Place is so important.”
The run drew an estimated 100 to 150 participants and began with opening ceremonies at 1:45 p.m. and a student-led warm-up just before the 2 p.m. start.
The event’s theme, “2016 — Running Back in Time,” featured nostalgic music that kept participants dancing throughout the afternoon. Puyo smiled as she took it all in.
“Look around,” she said. “Everyone’s having a wonderful time, even in this rainy weather.”
